Jumping Up

The following information is intended as a guideline only and may help you when you are training your dog.

Generally speaking, a dog’s purpose in jumping up is to get our attention. The problems with jumping up usually start when we first bring our new dog home, particularly puppies. We want our dog to like us and its new home. We want it to feel happy and wanted and not miss its mum or its brothers and sisters. So when it jumps up at us we tolerate it because it seems so pleased to see us and that gives us a good feeling.

As it jumps up we make a fuss of it or play with it. The dog perceives this as a reward for jumping up. Dogs operate on the basis that if something works for them, if they get something good in return for a particular behaviour, then they will repeat that behaviour. Before too long our little puppy that endearingly jumped up at our knees has become a nuisance. Regardless of their size, their exuberance can be enough to knock small children or elderly people over with potentially disastrous consequences. If they jump up when we’re holding a hot cup of coffee we would be scalded. Jumping up has now become a problem

So what do we do to prevent this behaviour from developing or cure it now that it has established itself?

Your dog needs to learn that everything good comes to him when he has four feet on the floor and that it gets nothing whatsoever when it jumps up at you. Now here comes the bit we all find difficult! When our dog jumps up, for whatever reason we should ignore it. Don’t tell it to get off, don’t shout at it, don’t look at it, don’t touch it-give it absolutely nothing for that behaviour. Keep your arms folded across your body and turn away. If the behaviour persists then walk away. If you are indoors, leave the room and shut the door. Return after a minute or so. If he jumps up again-leave again. Your dog needs to understand that that particular behaviour gets him nothing. In fact he even loses your presence altogether-the last thing he wants!

Repeat this pattern until finally you go back to your dog and it stays on the ﬂoor. Go into the room and after about 30 seconds or so reward your dog for staying on the floor. A little praise—perhaps a treat. If it starts to jump up—out you go again.

As with all dog training, it’s not enough for just you to do it. Everyone in your household must follow the same procedure and when visitors come and they say “Oh we don’t mind him jumping up” explain that you are trying to train him and they should ignore him if he jumps up at them. You could even consider leaving a small tin of treats outside the front door for visitors to feed your dog as they come into your house. They could show the treat, ask the dog to sit and reward him. Very quickly the dog’s thought process becomes ~visitor—I sit—I get a treat.

Like all dog training this takes time, commitment and patience but perseverance will bring you a dog that is still pleased to see you, still ready for a game or lots of attention, but on your terms and with all four feet on the floor!

Wiley is a seven year old Staffie cross who had been with Sussex Pet Rescue for quite a while receiving the necessary medical treatment she so desperately needed. Eventually she was ready for adoption. As soon as I saw her on the SPR website I phoned Jan. Just over a week later Wiley moved in with me. The whole adoption process was very thorough and friendly and, apart from finding out all about Wiley from Jan, I also spoke to Paula, Wiley’s foster mum in Eastbourne. I then visited Wiley and Paula, then I had a home check from (another) Paula and a few days later I went back to Eastbourne and, feeling very guilty about taking her away from such a loving and caring foster home, brought Wiley back to Hove. Fosterer Paula gave me a ‘Wiley’ bag with Wiley’s medication and a very helpful written account of Wiley’s ‘habits’. Jan ‘phoned the following day to see how Wiley was. Wiley had found her spot on the sofa that first afternoon! A couple of weeks later Paula did a follow up home check to make sure Wiley had settled in and everything was going well. Wiley was on her best behaviour, but then she always is!

Considering everything she has been through, she is so friendly, playful and adores cuddles. Her tail is constantly wagging. Her favourite thing to do is to carry two tennis balls in her mouth, especially when we go for a walk. This brings smiles to most people we pass. Quite often they stop and ask questions about her. I always explain that she is a rescue dog. I think I fell in love with Wiley the first time I saw her and I’m so grateful to SPR for allowing me to adopt such a delightful dog. Wiley takes all visits to the vets in her stride and will have to take medication for the rest of her life. She is also on a strict walking regime while the muscles on her back leg strengthen. As I write this Wiley is sitting on the sofa looking at me, those two staffie ears standing upright, with two tennis balls in her mouth and her tail is wagging.

SPR: We are very grateful to Pat for adopting Wiley and taking her on with her existing heath conditions, we were looking for a very special home for Wiley as she is a very special girl and we certainly found that with Pat. Sussex Pet Rescue covered the cost of Wiley’s skin treatment and her knee surgery and will continue to cover any costs relating to these pre existing conditions. Wiley has made an amazing recovery and is thoroughly enjoying her new life with Pat, what a perfect outcome for this lovely dog.

Sussex Pet Rescue is committed to covering the cost of treatment for any pre existing medical condition for any of our dogs when they are adopted.

We rehomed our lovely boy Rufus in May this year. What a smashing little dog he is. He took to his new surroundings very quickly and loves cuddling up to anyone who sits on the sofa. I know, it’s disgraceful isn’t it!

Already he has been on a couple of holidays with us up to Scotland and for a weekend with friends in our touring caravan. We visited my Mum and Dad on the Isle of Cumbrae and they of course fell in love with him introducing him to the other Cavalier King Charles Spaniels that live on the island. I went for a paddle and a little apprehensively he came too. The water is a bit cold up there you know.

Rufus has been to dog training at both Seaford and District Dog Club and Berwick Obedience Association and he is coming along beautifully. The sit stays and recalls are all improving each week. He loves going to training, meeting other dogs and getting lots of rewards.

Rocky is a 6 year old Terrier adopted by a lady in January. He is a very lucky dog to have a holiday home to go to with his new owner up in Scotland where they spend about five months of the year. He loves the ferry crossing and the journey in the car. The holiday home is near to a beach where he has a great time swimming and has also made new dog friends there.

We had been looking a dog for about a year before we found Kevin. We didn’t want to rush as we knew the right dog was out their waiting for us. We are first time dog owners so it was all a bit daunting. Jasmin (age 13) was constantly looking at all the rehoming websites when she spotted Kevin. At this time my husband still wasn’t too keen on the idea but agreed to visit him at his foster home in Lancing. We were all excited but I was keeping an open mind.

When we met Kevin the first person he went to was my husband and it was love at first sight! Kevin was 5 months old and had been with the foster home for a few weeks. We all fell in love as he seemed such a sweet puppy with a great nature. I suggested to the family that we go off and see my Dad for a cup of tea and a think about it. I knew really that our minds were already made up! We all LOVED him and knew he was our forever dog. We rang the foster ‘mum’ and said we would really like to rehome him and as we had already had a home check she said we could take him then and there! It was the day of the terrible Shoreham Air Show crash so we took a long detour home and poor Kevin didn’t travel well.

I borrowed a crate and we had our old large cat’s bed and bowls and we had his food from the foster home and reality sunk in. One of our ‘rules’ about getting a dog was that we would invest time and money into training so I rang up my dog trainer who gave me some tips to settle him down. Our trainer spent 2 hours on two consecutive days with us. It was the family that needed training not so much Kevin. He showed us everything we needed to do, how to correct him, feed him, walk him and train him. It was wonderful and we learnt so much. From there we all followed the training and it works wonderfully. We have had ups and down but we persevered and we couldn’t imagine life without Kevin.

We have had Kevin for 9 months now and he recently ‘celebrated’ his first birthday. We have found some wonderful walks in the beautiful countryside which is a welcome break from busy family/work life. We get complemented on him and his good behaviour all the time 🙂 People assume because he is a Jack Russell he will be snappy and bark but I believe that is down to training.

Sussex Pet rescue made the whole process very easy and helped us all the way. They are a fantastic charity and do such great work.